Control means for a fuel pump valve



CONTROL MEANS FOR A FUEL PUMP VALVE Filld Sept. 23, 1954 a Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VERNON D ROOJA' ATTORNEYJ Dec. 23, 1958 v. D. RQQSA 2,865341 CONTROL MEANS FOR AFUEL PW? VALVE Filid Sipt. 23, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvron VERNON 0. ROOM 4/ 37 v 3 1 17 i and W l H A ORNEYJ United States Patent The present invention relates to fuel pumps for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to improved control means for operating the valve of such a fuel pump.

The improved control means of the present invention is intended for use with engine fuel pumps of the type having a control member or valve which is movable to vary the output of the pump. One aim of the invention is to provide an improved control which will permit precise seating of the valve responsive to both manual operation and speed of rotation of the pump, the pump being driven by the engine at a speed corresponding to engine speed.

Another aim of the invention is to provide control means for a fuel pump valve which will simplify the installation of the pump both with respect to the engine connections and to the manual setting members whereby mounting of the pump is facilitated.

A further aim is to provide a complete valve control system, including a self-contained governor, having a minimum of parts which may be economically fabricated and which is so constructed and arranged that assembly and disassembly of the control may be carried out in a r 1 simple manner at low cost.

Another aim is to provide a compact control system which can be mounted for quick and easy inspection and servicing, and whereby replacement or substitution of parts is facilitated.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of an exemplary fuel pump, a portion of the pump being in cross section to show the control means applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view'taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3; t

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the throttle connections in more detail;

Figure 8 is an enlarged end view of the rotor and gover nor assembly; and

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Figures 1 and 7 thereof, there is shown an exemplary fuel pump .Which is an improvement upon the fuel pump shown in my prior patent No. 2,641,238, granted June '9, 1953. Ref- Patented Dec. 23, 1958 ICQ a. erence may be had to such prior patent for details of construction of the pump, if desired. The present description of the pump will be limited to those portions which are involved in the present invention and as to which a description is necessary in order to understand the invention.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 7, the fuel pump includes a head 18 having a central bore 11 in which is disposed a rotor 12. Integrally formed on the rotor 12 as best shown in Figure 9 is an enlarged pumping section 13. The right-hand section of rotor 12, which is disposed in the central bore 11 and which may be referred to as the distributor, contains fluid passages (not shown) by means of which fuel is alternately fed to the pumping section and released from the pumping section through. the outlets 14, which in turn are connected by conduits or tubing (not shown) to injection nozzles in the engine cylinders. The amount of fuel admitted to the distributor, and hence the output of the pump, is controlled by a rotary valve 15 disposed in a radial bore 19. Fuel enters the bore 19 via a circumferential groove 17 in the rotor from a pick-up or feed pump located in the outer end of head 18. The fuel entering the bore 19, after passage by the valve 15, enters the diagonal passageway 16 leading to the inlet ports of the rotor (not shown). The amount of fuel released from the bore 19 to the diagonal passageway 16 is controlled by the rotated position of the valve 15.

Secured to the head 18 is a housing 11] having an internal cavity 21, and formed with a standard flange 22 by means of which the pump may be secured to a desired mounting, such as the skirt of the engine with which the pump is associated. In accordance with the invention, the rotor 12 need not be provided with an elongate driving shaft extending outwardly or to the flange 22, but is provided merely with a stub shaft 30 having a slot or groove 31 by means of which the rotor may be attached to a driving shaft extending from or connected to the engine. By use of such a stub shaft the problem of misalignment of the pump is substantially overcome. In addition, it is unnecessary to provide any bearing surfaces other than the rotor itself.

In accordance with the invention, a governor of simplified construction is disposed on the stub shaft 30. This exemplary governor consists essentially of a weight retainer or cage 32 fixed to the rotor by screws'33, a sleeve 34, and a plurality of weights 35. As best shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, the weight retainer 32, which may be made of sheet metal, is formed with a plurality of rectangular pockets 36 in which are seated the governor weights 35, the weights 35 being of generally trapezoidal shape. A plurality of governor weights is used in each pocket instead of a single non-laminated weight to insure better seating and operation of the weights. The individual weights are notched at 37 to providea fiinger 38 engaging behind the flange 39 on the sleeve 34, and are adapted to pivot on the apex or corner 40;which engages in the outer corner of the pockets 36. The center of gravity of the weights 35 is, of course, to the left-hand sideof the apex 40, as viewed in Figure 9, with the result that as the rotor is rotated by the engine the weights will tend to pivot in a clockwise direction as viewed in'Figure 9, thus applying an axial force in a lefthand direction tothe sleeve 34.

The sleeve 34 cooperates with a pivoted lever or governor arm 50 which, as best shown in Figure 6, is of platelike shape, preferably formed as a metal stamping, and which has a semi-circular notch 51 at one end permitting the legs 53 to extend about the drive shaft, indicatied in dot-anddash lines at 52. The legs 53 preferably are formed with turned-over edges or flanges 54 for engagement with the flange 41 of the sleeve 34. The flange 41 preferably is formed with ears 42 which will engage against the end of the lever 50, thus preventing the sleeve from rotating. With the centrifugal weights 35 mounted in the manner illustrated, the thrust of the weights against the cage 32 as a result of centrifugal force is directed against and toward the rotor 12 which in turn is connected tothe feed pump rotor (not shown). The result is that-there is ample provision for absorbing the thrust of the governor without requiring additional bearings or other supports.

Turning now to the pivoted lever 50, it will be noted that it is formed with a transverse groove 55 and depending ears-56 at either end of the groove, these ears being formed with openings 57. The structure just referred to is employed to form the pivot for the lever and also to retain it in assembled position. To this end there is provided a pivot bar 60, which may be formed of square bar stock turned'down at one end 61 to permit the end to seat in a bore 62 formed in the housing 20, as best shown in Figure 6. The opposite end is disposed in a square opening 63 broached in the opposite wall of the housing so as to prevent the pivot bar from turning. The bar is held in assembled position by a setscrew 64 and washer 65. As best shown in Figures and 6, the bar 60 is milled on two surfaces to form a fulcrum 66, which is preferably of smaller angularity than the groove 55 so as to permit the lever 50 to pivot thereon without binding. The width of the bar 60 is just sufficient to permit the bar to slide freely in the openings 57 of the ears 56 without at the same time permitting the lever to become disengaged from the fulcrum 66., In order to assemble this portion of the device, it is necessary only to hold the lever 50 in place while the pivot bar 60 is inserted through the opening 63 of the housing and through the cars 56 of the lever.

.The end of the lever 50 opposite from the governor provided with a spring seat 67 in the form of a conical projection and attaching means which comprises a bentup. ear 68 having a slot 69 and a small hole 70 therein.

In accordance with the invention, the governor is loaded by means of a spiral compression spring 80, which is en.- gaged at one end on the seat 69 and which at the other end engages on a seat 81 in the form of a flanged sleeve which is slidably mounted on the guide rod 82, the rod 82 being threaded at its outer end 83 to permit it to be secured in the opening 84 of the housing. The guide rod 82has a head 88 and is secured in the opening 84 by means of the nut 89. As shown in the drawings, the housing 20 is provided with a flange 85 forming a receptacle or chamber for the remaining operating parts of the control mechanism. The receptacle or chamber provided by the flange 85 has a cover 86 which may be secured in any suitable manner, preferably with the addition of a gasket 87. As will be apparent, the cover 86 is of large size, permitting ready access to the controls for assembly and disassembly.

The car 68 of the lever 50 is connected by means of a connecting rod 90 to an L-shaped lever 91 which in turn is :eonnected by a tongue-and-groove connection indi- .Cated at '92 to the valve 15. As a result, the valve 15 will turn or rotate commensurate with the amount of pivoting ofthe governor arm 50. The connection between the rod 90 and arm 50 is formed by extending a bent-over end of the rod through the elongate slot 69 thus providing a lost-motion connection. A light spring 93 extending between the governor arm 50 and the lever 91 is used to hold the parts in the position shown in Figure 5 except during shut-off as described hereinafter.

In the specific embodiment shown in the drawings, when the lever, 91 is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, the valve 15 is turned in a closing direction and, conversely, counterclockwise rotation of lever 91 moves valve 15 in an opening direction. elongate leaf spring 94 secured at one .end by the nut 89 and disposed along the interior surface .of flange 35 is utilized toprovide a stop forthe lever; 91 when the same is turned in an, 0Pe11i g..;direction,{ thus determining the maximum open position of the valve. The effective position of the leaf spring stop 94 is adjusted by means of a setscrew 95 extending through the flange .so that it may be turned from the exterior of the housing. The setscrew is held in adjusted position by means of a locknut 96. As will be apparent, by turning the setscrew 95 inwardly the leaf spring 94 is flexed to provide an earlier stop for the valve lever 91; whereas, if the setscrew 95 is turned outwardly, the leaf spring 94 is moved to a position permitting the valve to be open to a greater degree.

In order to vary the speed of the engine, means is provided for manually varying the load on the main governor spring 80. This is accomplished as best shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. Referring to this drawing, it will be seen that extending transversely of the housing through journals provided by the openings and 101 is a two-part spindle 102 comprising a throttle section .103 having an extension 104 of reduced diameter, which is telescopically received in the bore 105 of the shut-off section 106 to form a swivel connection. The sections 103 and 106 are grooved at their outer ends to receive O-rings 1 07 functioning as an oil seal to prevent leakage. Attached to the outer end of the spindle section 103' is a lever 110, hereinafter referred to as the throttle lever, having wings 111 provided with setscrews 112 and locknuts 113. The setscrews 112 and 113 cooperate with shoulders or steps 1 14 on the exterior of the housing to limit the opening and closing movements of the throttle lever 110. If desired, the throttle lever may have adjustably fixed thereto a second attaching lever 115 As Will be understood, either the lever 115 or throttle lever 110 may be attached to a foot or hand throttle by means of which the speed of the engine is to be controlled by the operator.

The opposite end of the spindle 102 has fixed thereto a lever 116, referred to herinafter as the shut-off lever. As will be described hereinafter, movement of the shut,- off lever 116 is utilized when it is desired to completely shut off the flow of fuel through the valve 15, thereby shutting Off the motor.

The two-part spindle 102 is held in assembled relationship by means of a spring clip 120 which has a U-shaped portion 121 adapted to be received in a pair of oppositely spaced slots 122 in the spindle section 106 and also in a groove 123 in the telescoped end portion 1040f the main spindle section 103. As a result of this arrangement, the spring clip 120 will rotate with the spindle section 106 and hence the shut-01f lever116, and at the same time will prevent the'spindle section 103 from separating from its telescoped position within the spindle section 106.

The spring clip has an L-shaped extension 125 which extends into the line of movement of a loop 126 formed in the connecting rod 90. As a result, the shut-off lever 116 can be operated to pivot the spring clip 120 into engagement with the loop 126 to move the rod 90 sufficiently to fully close the valve 15. This closing action by the application of force to the shut-01f lever 116 of course is sutficient to overcome the resistance of the auxiliary spring 93. The lost-motion connection between rod 90 and governor arm 50, of course, eliminates the resistance of spring 80 to such closing action.

Fixed to the spindle section 103 and rotatable therewith in response to operation of the throttle lever 110 is a metal strap 130 partially extending about the spindle and having an end 131 received in the groove 132. The opposite end of the strap 130 is bifurcated to extend on opposite sides of the guide rod 82 into contact with the spring seat 81. Thus, by varying the pivoted position of the throttlelever 110, it is possible to vary the load on the main governor spring 80.

The operation of the control means of the presentinvention will be apparent from the foregoing description taken together withthe following explanation: Assuming thatthe motor is at idling speed, the throttle lever .110 will be turned as far as possible in the off direction, thus removing most of the load from the main governor spring 80. The result is that the governor weights will pivot outwardly, pivoting the governor arm in a clockwise directlon in Figures 1 and 7 to the maximum degree. The setscrews 112 of lever 119 are adjusted, of course, so that movement of lever 110 to the off position will provide just sufiicient restoring force in spring 80 to provide a proper idling speed.

In order to increase the speed of the motor, all that it is necessary for the operator to do is to turn the throttle lever in an opening direction which, through the strap 130 attached to the spindle section 103, will bear against the spring seat 81, thus increasing the compression of spring 80, causing the governor arm to pivot in a counterclockwise direction through the connecting rod 90, and thus turning the valve in an opening direction. The speed of the motor will stabilize at whatever speed is required for the force on the governor arm to balance the main spring 80. The speed of the motor can be varied at any time, of course, by varying the compression of spring 80 through the throttle lever 110.

In the event the operator wishes to turn off the motor, all he has to do is to turn the shut ofi lever 116 causing the spring clip to engage against the loop 126 of the connecting rod 90, thus moving the valve 15 to the full Off position irrespective of the force applied by the springs 80 and 93 or the governor arm 50.

As will be apparent, the control system is exceedingly compact and self-contained so that the connection of the pump and control system to the motor and to the operating mechanism is facilitated. The mechanism is simple to assemble and disassemble and will function efficiently over long periods of time without failure.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm in the form of a plate having a transverse groove and an angularly related ear at each end of the groove having an aperture in alignment with the groove, a pivot for the arm mounted on the fuel pump comprising a bar extending through said aperture of each ear having an edge engaging in said groove and connecting means between the governor arm and said control member.

2. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm having its end spaced from the control member, a link between the end of the arm and the control member, a stationary guide rod mounted on the fuel pump generally parallel to the link and in alignment with the end of the governor arm, an adjustable spring seat slidably mounted on the guide rod for movement longitudinally thereof, a compression spring extending between the governor arm and said spring seat having one end engaging the governor arm and having the other end telescoping over the guide rod and engaging the spring seat, and a manually operable actuating arm on the fuel pump movable longitudinally of the guide rod and engageable with the spring seat to vary the spring load on the governor arm.

3. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm, an actuating link between the arm and the control member, a guide rod mounted on the fuel pump generally parallel to the link, a spring seat slidably mounted on the guide rod, a compression spring disposed between the arm and the spring seat, and manually operable means for moving the spring seat axially of the guide rod to vary the spring load on the governor arm comprising a rotatable shaft extending transverseiy of the guide rod and having a projection extending radially outwardly therefrom engaging the spring seat.

4. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm, an actuating link between the end of the governor arm and the control member, a stationary guide rod mounted on the fuel pump generally parallel to the iink in alignment with the end of the governor arm, a spring seat slidably mounted on the guide rod, a compression spring disposed between the end of the governor arm and the spring seat, and manually operable means for selectively moving the spring seat to vary the spring load on the governor arm and for moving the actuating link to set the control member in predetermined position.

5. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm, a connecting rod between the governor arm and control member, a guide rod mounted on the fuel pump generally parallel to the rod, a spring seat slidably mounted on the guide rod, a compression spring disposed between the arm and the spring seat, a control shaft mounted on the fuel pump extending transversely of the rod and spring, having means engageable with the rod to move the control member to predetermined position and having means engageable with the spring seat to vary the spring load on the governor arm.

6. In a fuel pump, a movable control member, a governor arm, a connecting rod between the governor arm and control member, a guide rod mounted on the fuel pump generally parallel to the rod, a spring seat slidably mounted on the guiderod, a compression spring disposed between the arm and the spring seat, a control rod mounted on the fuel pump extending transversely of the rod and spring comprising two relatively turnable sections, means on one section for engaging the connecting rod whereby the control member may be moved to predetermined position by rotating said one section, and means on the other section for engaging the spring seat whereby the spring load on the governor arm may be varied by turning said other section.

7. The mechanism set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for engaging the connecting rod comprises a spring clip retaining the two sections of the control rod in assembled relationship said spring clip being secured to said one section and having portions engaging in a groove of said other section.

8. In a fuel pump, a rotatable control member mounted on the fuel pump, an actuating arm secured to the control member and extending transversely of the axis of rotation thereof, a governor arm, a connecting link between the actuating arm and the governor arm, and a stop for said actuating arm comprising a leaf spring anchored at one end on the fuel pump and having its other end extending across the path of rotation of the actuating arm, and a setscrew carried by the fuel pump and engaging said other end of the spring for adjustably flexing the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,084 Gilbert Dec. 30, 1913 1,148,321 Kasper July 27, 1915 2,009,995 Engel et al. Aug. 6, 1935 2,066,989 Leland Ian. 5, 1937 2,259,693 Hogeman Oct. 21, 1941 2,446,497 Thomas Aug. 3, 1948 2,568,912 Shane Sept. 25, 1951 2,620,674 Price Dec. 9, 1952 2,641,238 Roosa June 9, 1953 2,708,921 Links May 24, 1955 

